William H. Pitsenbarger - Honors and Awards

Honors and Awards

William Pitsenbarger was posthumously promoted to staff sergeant. The United States Navy Container Ship MV A1C William H. Pitsenbarger (T-AK 4638) was christened in his honor. The ship will preposition Air Force ammunition at sea near potential war or contingency sites.

In addition several buildings have been named in his honor including William H. Pitsenbarger Dining Hall, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; William H. Pitsenbarger Professional Military Education Center, Beale AFB, California; William H. Pitsenbarger Airman Leadership School, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany; Pitsenbarger Hall, Randolph AFB, Texas and Pitsenbarger Fitness Center, Sheppard AFB, Texas.

His name can be found on Panel 06E Line 102 of the Vietnam Wall.

Civilian authorities have also honored his name. The city of Piqua, Ohio, renamed a recreational park (which includes the municipal swimming pool) the "Pitsenbarger Sports Complex." The state of Ohio designated state route 48 as the "U.S.A.F. Pararescue Memorial Highway." The highway runs near the hometowns of four pararescuemen who died in service to their country. This includes Pitsenbarger; Sgt. Jim Locker of Sidney, Ohio; Master Sgt. William McDaniel II of Greenville, Ohio; and Airman 1st Class James Pleiman of Russia, Ohio. In addition to being designated Main Street through the city of Dayton—where the Wright Brothers designed their airplane—state route 48 also runs along Miami Memorial Park north of Covington, Ohio, where all four are buried.

Edison Community College in Piqua, Ohio, awards the Pitsenbarger Scholarship to two full-time students per year who can show financial need.

The drill team of the AFJROTC unit at Martinsburg High School, Martinsburg WV is known as the Pitsenbarger Rifles.

The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) awards a $500 Pitsenbarger Scholarship to the top 5% of each graduating class that is currently enrolled in a Bachelors program and submits a competitive award nomination package.